Attendance Officer

Do you have experience overseeing attendance at a school level? We are looking for an Attendance Officer to join our dedicated academy team at Harris Academy Clapham. This role is likely to suit an individual looking to develop in a school environment with attendance related experience.

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION.

The salary shown is the full-time equivalent and will be adjusted pro rata based on 39 weeks per year, 37.5 hours per week (actual salary £28,719.89-£30,446.14).

About Us

The vision of Harris Academy Clapham is a simple one. From our opening in September 2020, our academy is a place where ‘everything is possible'.

The Clapham curriculum is designed to meet the needs, aspirations and abilities of every one of our students. Our aim is to improve their life chances and enable them to make a positive contribution to the city and world in which they live.

At Harris Clapham, the curriculum is delivered through high-quality teaching. This is codified in our research-informed approach to pedagogy, which we call the Clapham Way. The following principles apply in our curriculum:

• Subject specific knowledge and skills come first
• Embedding and building on the basics – ensuring that every student acquires the vocabulary, literacy and numeracy skills to enable them to fully participate in society
• The curriculum must be rigorous and relevant by engaging with the best of what has been thought and said and acknowledging that knowledge is fluid and can be contested
• The curriculum must prepare for life in modern Britain and beyond, and enable Clapham students to understand their rights and fulfil their responsibilities under the Equality Act.

Through the Clapham academic, enrichment and pastoral curriculum we expect our students to develop powerful knowledge and the following values and character attributes that will enable them to achieve our vision that ‘Everything is Possible'.

Endeavour for excellence

• Learning to work hard and relish challenge.
• Learning to never give up.
• Learning to take sensible risks.
• Learning to always strive for the best for themselves and each other.

Integrity and honesty

• Always acting with kindness.
• Treating others the way they would like to be treated.

Self-belief with a global view

• Growing to have the agency to achieve their ambitions for themselves and the wider world.

Our staff are supported in their work and in developing their future careers via:

• A centralised behaviour system, with each year group supported by non-teaching pastoral leaders
• A programme of instructional coaching, supported by the Step Lab platform
• Access to a wide range of National Professional Qualifications delivered by the Institute of Teaching
• Federation subject consultant support
• Harris Federation professional development training days and networking support.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your responsibilities will include:

• Assisting ALG in the management and development of attendance and punctuality policies
• Daily monitoring and follow-up of attendance and punctuality
• Participating on late desk and follow up detentions
• Contacting parents/carers of students absent at agreed time and recording reasons for absence if given
• Daily monitoring and early calls on the attendance of children in care or students on the vulnerable list
• Making home visits with the Academy welfare manager as required
• Sending letters to parents regarding attendance matters as requested by the Academy Welfare Manager
• Ensuring the smooth operation of the computerised registration system
• Ensuring daily attendance information is entered accurately onto the system
• Establishing the reason for absences including telephone calls, letters and home visits
• Preparing and distributing attendance and punctuality certificates
• Following up on poor attendance or punctuality
• Signing students in and out of the Academy outside normal start and finish times
• Liaising with the Educational Welfare Officer to ensure prompt, consistent and rigorous intervention with poor attendance
• Monitoring student attendance together with students' progress and performance in relation to targets set for each individual
• Dealing efficiently and effectively with referrals on attendance concerns
• Alerting appropriate staff to problems experienced by students and making recommendations as to how these may be resolved
• Communicating with the parents of students and with persons or bodies outside the Academy concerned with the welfare of individual students
• Meeting with LAC students weekly and pass on any relevant information regarding their welfare

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualifications to degree standard or equivalent
• Sound Knowledge of Microsoft software
• Knowledge of Management Information Systems for input and export of student attendance data, including training in relation to attendance and report generation
• Knowledge of attendance policies and procedures
• Knowledge of the range of agencies that work with students and their families
• Basic knowledge of first aid; e.g. emergency first aid course
• Knowledge of a range of attendance codes and when they can be used
• Knowledge of many of the social issues facing students from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Three years' experience of working in an inner-city school or educational establishment
• Experience of working with Academy welfare officer
• Experience of meeting with parents/carers formally and informally
• Experience of managing attendance systems
• Experience in a similar role
• Experience of working with young people, including those with challenging behaviour

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Rewards & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.